


Thicker Than Water

by ssa_archivist



Category: Smallville
Genre: Angst, Drama, First Time, M/M, episode-related, hurt-comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-03-05
Updated: 2003-03-05
Packaged: 2017-11-01 05:15:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/352359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ssa_archivist/pseuds/ssa_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Seduction.  Revenge.  And plenty of smarmy Lexiness.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thicker Than Water

## Thicker Than Water

by SkaterBoy

[]()

* * *

Television without Pity says: 

"Lex must be used to being tied up so many times. 

He's probably developed some sort of naked farmboy counting system for staving off boredom." 

Author's Note: Be forewarned that this is a bit darker than Chumming the Waters. 

Disclaimer: Once again, I'm borrowing from "Prodigal". If anyone has canon corrections or suggestions, please email me and I will gladly comply. I anticipate exactly one update, and this disclaimer will disappear after such. Also: there's one more scene at the end of Prodigal in which Lex goes back to the Kents' to pick up some of his things. Anyone who wants a final chapter to this story, let me know. I'm thinking PWP. Something to think about. 

* * *

This one is for my fans. 

* * *

Sure, it's risky sneaking into the garage before I leave the mansion to get my pistol, but what can I say? I've always been an advocate of protection. 

I get back to the Kent farm only to find out that Clark is working at the Talon. I told Jonathan I'd take care of whatever needs to be done, and I'm a man of my word. Which means that instead of trying to figure out why Lana hired Clark as a waiter, I'm mucking stalls. Sometimes it sucks to be a man of your word. 

It gives me time to think, though. Lucas and I have already planned how we're going to get Lionel to Metropolis after making a few purchases. We've also made damn sure that Clark's going to figure out what's going on. In the process of exposing Lionel, maybe we can discover some of Clark's secrets as well. If I'd known Lionel had been doing his own research on Clark, I might be ahead of the game, but Luthors are selfish enough not to care that two heads are better than one. 

Too bad for Lionel. Because I know something he doesn't. 

I suspect that Lionel knows about Lucas' and my clandestine meetings. Not only that, but that he knows because Lucas told him. It's common sense. Lionel's playing both ends against the middle; there's no reason Lucas wouldn't do the same. The subterfuge comes full circle with me, but I'm not playing Lionel against Lucas. Oh no. I'm planning to use their pasts to take them down, one at a time. Lucas is just assisting me with Lionel. 

I happen to know some of Lucas' friends from Edge City. Don't get me wrong, I don't want him dead. Okay, maybe I do, but he's too valuable to me alive. But I'm not above scaring the shit out of him. 

After the chores are done (I can't believe I'm doing _chores_ ) I join Clark's parents for dinner. Not the most enjoyable experience of my life, but hospitality begets courtesy. Jonathan doesn't say anything about missing his handgun or my work in the barn, so I really have no idea where I stand with him. At least I have one more chance to get to Clark. This time, I'm not going to stop with a kiss. 

The object of my seduction pops in for some dinner and tells the Kents he's going in the barn. Jonathan raises an eyebrow and Martha looks concerned. She approaches me when Jonathan leaves to read the paper. 

"I think he's upset, Lex. Maybe you should go talk to him." She has no clue, does she? 

"Whatever you think is best, Mrs. Kent." She smiles at me and gives me a bag of cookies. 

"Give these to Clark, will you? They always make him feel better." 

"Of course. I'm sure he'll appreciate it." She watches me as I exit through the front door. 

I find Clark in his loft. He's sitting on the couch, extremely focused on a jacket he's holding. He holds it up once and I see holes - bullet holes? - in the back. 

"Clark?" 

He tosses the jacket to the other side of the couch and looks away guiltily. I'm forced to wonder how Clark could have bullet holes in the back of the jacket he'd been wearing and not be hurt. He's hiding something. Again. 

"Hey, Lex." He's trying too hard to be casual. I decide to ignore it for now and sit beside him. 

"Your mother sent these for you." He takes the bag of cookies and sets them on the floor. "She said they make you feel better." I look pointedly at him. Clark just mumbles a thanks and stares down at his hands. 

Not that I care if Clark's unhappy, but it would help to know why he looks so depressed. "What happened?" 

He still refuses to look at me. After a long silence he speaks up, so quiet I have to lean forward to hear him. "Why was someone trying to kill your brother?" 

Someone got there before me? Lionel must've come through on my threat. But how does Clark... ohhh. 

"I don't know, Clark. It seems to come with being a Luthor." 

Clark snickers. That's reassuring. "I guess the better question is why am I always saving Luthors' lives?" 

"Well, you haven't saved Lionel yet." And if you get the chance, take a day off from Luthor-saving. 

Clark gives me a sharp look and I realized I've slipped. He's not used to people calling their parents by their first names. "I'm sorry, Clark. Sometimes my father and I are more like business associates than father and son." 

He nods. "I guess that makes sense," but he looks sad. For me. A Kent feels sorry for _me_. That's just not right. "Lex?" 

"What?" 

"I'm glad nothing happened to you." Then he moves closer to me, and looks at me like he wants to kiss me again. 

Shit. It's not supposed to happen this way. _I'm_ supposed to seduce him, not the other way around. The worst part is that Clark actually means it. I just want the thrill of a conquest but Clark... he actually cares about me. 

Earth to Lex. It's just another kid. You're just playing with him. You are _not_ going to feel guilty about seducing him. 

So I kiss him. To prove that I don't care, even if he does. I'm mad at him for making me feel guilty and I kiss him as hard as I can, maybe trying to scare him away, but he takes it, gives as good as he gets too. Wraps his arms around my neck and tentatively puts his tongue in my mouth and damn if he doesn't taste good. Sucking on his tongue, hard, and instead of pulling away he just moans into my mouth and I can't remember the last time I liked a kiss this much. 

Somehow I'm unbuttoning his signature flannel, frustrated by the cotton undershirt beneath it. I mean to drag my fingernails down his chest but instead I'm mapping out those hard muscles with my palms and fingertips, thinking it's a sin for someone so young to be so built, and just from farmwork. The sarcastic voice in the back of my mind remarks that some of us have to spend hours at the gym to look half this good, but I don't pay much attention to that voice. Just marvel at how firm his abs are, how I want to taste every inch of him. 

I untuck his shirt, flesh on flesh and I love how he shivers. _No one_ has ever touched him like this, not even Lana, and there's so much power in that thought. I get his shirt off and he doesn't resist at all when I push him down onto the couch. I'm too caught up in having so much control over Clark's body it doesn't even bother me that it was so easy. 

I just look at him for a minute. He's so relaxed, eyes closed, completely trusting. Like a fucking angel. And I thought I was only poetic when a conversation called for it. 

His hands are trying to get under my shirt and he's still kissing me. Sucking _my_ tongue. Mm, that feels good. Then I realize what's happening and I jerk away, start kissing his neck like that was the plan. 

That was too close. Luthors may be selfish, take take take, but when it comes to pleasure I only _give_. This is about power, making Clark want me. I do _not_ want Clark. I only want to control him. Own him. 

This feels almost as good. Better. Making him moan, kissing down his throat to his chest, attacking with my tongue. Oh, he likes that. I kiss my way down his stomach, teasing his nipples with my fingers until I make it to his jeans. I unbutton them, then rest my palms on his nipples, arcs his chest up into my hands. Slowly, I lower his zipper with my teeth, easier said then done because he's already so fucking hard for me. Hands on my skull, caressing, holding back, though for whose benefit I'm not sure. 

Clark's a boxer boy. No surprise there. I feel like teasing him a little more, so I mouth his cock through the boxers and feel him practically jump off the couch. That's the kind of response I like. When I get to the tip I notice he's already wet, waiting for me. I suck at the moisture, a bit too lightly based on the way Clark's trying to push closer to my mouth. I finally take pity on him and pull his boxers down to his ankles and his cock leaps up like a released spring, engorged and dark with blood and leaking onto his stomach. If I didn't think Clark was beautiful before, I stand corrected. 

"Lex..." His hands are moving frantically over my skull, light and hard at the same time and he's panting and it's so fucking _hot_. I don't move until he's looking into my eyes, then I lower my head, slowly, slowly, until my nose is touching the underside of his dick. He jerks a little but doesn't look away. Just the tip of my tongue to the slit between his balls and he hisses. Oh, but Clark, we've just begun. 

I don't give him any time to get ready for it. I take both his balls in my mouth and suck like my life depends on it. His cock twitches against my face and I can _feel_ his precum spurt out and drip down. This - lust - is the best smell I have ever experienced. Musk. Everywhere. I move up to lick him clean. "Oh _God_ Lex, _please_..." 

There's no bigger rush than making them beg. I can't help it. I swallow him whole. He bucks up _hard_ and I almost choke. It takes me a second to get a grip on his hips to hold him down, but he finally gets it and at least tries to relax. A few soothing strokes of my hands as I let him slide into my throat. Perfect fit. 

He _writhes_ under me. Gentle suction, a little tightening of my lips, massage with my tongue... it doesn't seem possible but he gets heavier, thicker in my mouth. Our eyes lock just before I swallow around him and I _see_ his eyes glaze over as he tries and fails not to pump into me. It's what I want, though, so I encourage him by bobbing slowly up and down on that shaft. He clutches my head and starts fucking my mouth, it's so fucking _good_ when he starts tightening and spasming, coming down my throat, long and hard and I swallow every gorgeous fucking inch of him, milking him for all I'm worth. 

I let him slide out of my mouth, limp and sensitive now, look up to see a look of utter satiation. It's too much. I _crawl_ up his body and capture his lips under mine, plundering his mouth with my tongue and he takes it all, tasting himself and groans, digs his fingers into my back. The thought that that'll leave a mark sends shudders of excitement through my body. And Clark, naked and satisfied, rolls over on top of me, pressing me into the couch, kissing me and fucking my mouth with his tongue, whispering `thank you' and `so good' between kisses. He starts to move his hand between our bodies but I stiffen, and Clark's more perceptive than I thought because he puts his hands back on my shoulders and gives me a final, gentle kiss before rolling away and getting dressed. Leaving. Me. 

Alone. 

How did this happen? 

I want Clark. 

* * *

I don't know how I made it through the night. I must've jerked off a dozen times. Half, anyway. How the fuck am I going to stay awake for The Plan? 

I sneak into the house before sunrise for a shower. Cold shower. Spend the morning in the barn, waiting until it's time. 

Lucas gets there a few minutes after Clark runs off to school. Timing is very important; so is departure. 

We see Jonathan come out to the barn and I give Lucas the signal to hide. My stuff is behind the barn; Martha let me borrow an overnight night bag. Told her I'm going to stay in a hotel. 

Jonathan is a conscientious worker. I guess you learn that after a few farm-related accidents. Goggles and everything. 

"Mr. Kent? I just wanted to thank your hospitality." He turns around, removes the goggles and assesses me. Not sure what he's thinking. 

"Are you going somewhere, Lex?" 

Just to throw Lionel into despair, thanks. "I have to go talk to my brother. Besides, you know what they say about fish and houseguests after three days." I almost expect him to challenge me, ask me exactly what _they_ say about fish and houseguests, but he spares me the banter. 

"You're welcome back any time." Somehow I think he'd have me speaking out of the other side of my face if he knew what Clark and I were doing here in the barn. "I gave you every crappy farm job I had and you did them all without complaining once." Well, sir, blowing your son was reward enough. I'd love to see the look on his face... "You would have made one hell of a farmer." 

I kind of smile at him, not sure if it's a compliment to my farming abilities or an insult to my Luthor name. No time for speculation. In a second he's out cold - by Lucas' hand of course. I'll never be suspected. 

"What are you doing?" Realism is a must in case he's not actually unconscious or Martha decides to wander out to the barn. 

"Finishing what you started." My my, he sounds menacing. I knew I liked this kid. Too bad I have to make his life a living hell. 

We get to Metropolis in record time. Lionel's still in Smallville, so we have plenty of time to set up. 

"Hey, take it easy. You don't get to tie me up yet." 

"What are you talking about? I've made the call. Come on." 

I hold my hand out. "The cartridges." 

"What?" You know, Lucas, fake incredulousness isn't a good look for you. 

"The cartridges. I want to make sure they're blanks." 

"You don't trust me? After all we've been through." 

This time I do roll my eyes. "Give it a fucking rest, Lucas. I don't trust you any more than you trust me." 

We glare at each other for a few minutes before he hands them over. "You know, it's just as likely he'll shoot me as you." 

"That depends on whether he prefers shooting fish in a bucket." I honestly don't know where all these fish metaphors are coming from today. They just work. 

An hour later, I'm taped to the chair, with nothing better to do than watch the Metropolis skyline. Lucas doesn't help. He's on his cell, making arrangements with `business partners' in Edge City. Funny how he didn't learn his lesson from yesterday. He is aware that being a Luthor doesn't guarantee him immortality, right? 

"Lucas, what the hell is going on?" Lionel bursts dramatically into his office. Lucas is sitting on the desk in front of me, and at first he's all Lionel can see. 

"Doing exactly what you wanted, _dad_." Lucas hops off the desk and goes to stand behind me while I give my speech. I know he's pulling his gun on Lionel, even though I can't hear it. 

"Put the gun down, Lucas." 

Lucas moves the gun to point at me and I turn calmly to Lionel, looking thoughtful and surprised. "How do you know he's got a gun?" 

Lionel removes his glasses deliberately and looks at me, his eyes showing pride and disappointment. Time for me to act shocked and betrayed. 

"You twisted, sick son of a bitch!" I make like I'm trying struggle out of my constraints. 

It takes a few threatening remarks from Lucas before Lionel finally comes to my defense. Sort of. 

"Lucas. You are not going to shoot your brother." He is so fucking _calm_. He's just fucking going through the motions! He doesn't care about me, not at all. He just cares about his own ass. Now I'm really struggling to get free just so I can clobber him. I swear to God, if I wasn't tied up I would fucking _kill_ him right now. 

It's time for Lucas to take out the second gun, but I'm not paying attention. I'm seeing red. It's one thing to suspect that your father wants you dead but this living, breathing proof makes me fucking sick. 

"You're right. You are." He puts the gun in Lionel's hand and aims with his own gun at Lionel's head. 

It's the first time I've seen Lionel sweat. 

"Lucas." His voice is harsher than usual. "What could you possibly have to gain from this?" 

He doesn't even fucking care that my life is in danger. We're just a fucking experiment to him, and he's trying to figure out if he should be proud of Lucas for succesfully pulling off a kidnapping and attempting a framing. 

"Isn't it obvious, Lionel?" I'm a little surprised at the bitterness in my voice. "Once you and I are out of the picture, Lucas gains control of LuthorCorp." Damn the lump in my throat. This is _not_ personal. It's business. Then Lucas makes a smartass remark about being the better son. He's making this about him! Why can't he just go along with the plan? "And why don't you shut the fuck up too, Lucas? Do you really think it's luck that has you standing here today? That you always got bailed out of trouble just in time? Don't you ever wonder why you never got adopted?" 

"You're not helping, Lex." Lionel's voice is tight, impatient. 

Lucas is just staring at me. _Where the fuck did that come from_? Well fuck you Lucas, because you improvised three days ago when you kicked me out of the mansion. There is no honor among thieves. You're not getting off as easy as you thought. 

"Don't you get it? We're just a social experiment for _him_. One son gets everything, one gets nothing. I guess it doesn't matter in the end though, because -" 

"Lex! I would never do such a thing!" He's a snake. Lionel Luthor is a crooked snake. And Lucas is trying to prove that he's better than me so Lionel will favor him. 

Eighteen years without a family. Never adopted because Lionel made sure it didn't happen. And I see it now. It's not just about the money. He wants Lionel to love him. What an idiot. "Do you believe him, Lucas? Did you know he paid your buddy Dirk from Edge City to come out here and kill you? How much do you _trust_ him?" 

"Shut up!" I'm really getting to him. 

Good. 

"It's not worth it, Lucas. It's not worth trying to get his love and respect, because he has none to give." 

"Shut up!" He points his gun more forcefully at Lionel. "Shoot him! Now!" 

Lionel actually points the gun at me. He's actually fucking considering it. Hasn't he thought of shooting the gun out of Lucas' hand? But no, he's pointing the gun at me, wavering, thinking. This must be the best fucking day of his life. He gets to shoot me, and blame it on Lucas. Fucker. I will make the rest of his fucking life miserable, I swear to fucking God. Pull the trigger already! 

I must be going insane. I'm actually rooting him on. I'm actually wishing they're not blanks. Put me out of my misery, dad. Kill me. It's what you've always wanted. _Fuck_ you burn infucking _hell_ yougoddamnedfucking _bastard_! 

"No." No? Pull the trigger, you asshole! Shoot me! "I can't do it." Shoot me you fucking coward! "I won't kill my own son." You have to be a father to have a son. You were never my father. 

Lucas yelps out of nowhere and drops the gun. I'm still trying to figure out what happened when I hear Lionel smack him and say "Psychotic little bastard!" and shoot him twice. He shot Lucas _twice_. He wouldn't even shoot me once. Fucking hypocrite. I have never hated anyone more in my life than when he didn't shoot me. 

Oh God. I'm turning into Lionel. 

"It must be in the genes." Lucas, post-mortem. Lionel's flabbergasted sputter as realization dawns. 

"Blanks?" 

I try to smile, really try, but my heart's not in it. I'm crashing down from somewhere that was already so low I couldn't stand up straight. I manage some impression of sanity, of reality, before I grin at Lionel and give him the punchline. 

"Checkmate." 

Lucas frees me from the chair. When we walk out of the office together, leaving Lionel to contemplate his loss, it looks more triumphant than it feels. 

* * *

It's not over. It's time to make sure Lucas doesn't get any ideas about us being brothers, the kind of brothers that spend time together and respect each other. 

The helicopter takes us to my private jet. Yes, mine, because Lionel is out of the picture. He will never again be deluded into thinking that anything of mine belongs to him. 

I wait for Lucas to get comfortable. He thinks we're going back to Smallville, but this is my jet and my pilot. He has no idea what's about to happen. It's just him, me, and a big metal bird. I'm in control. 

I don't have to wait long for him to head to the back for some snacks. I stand by the door until he comes back. He never sees it coming. 

In two seconds I have him pressed against the wall, arm twisted behind his back. 

"What are you doing?" Needless to say, he's off his guard. 

"Finishing what you started," I quote him. He grumbles something and I pull out my handgun, rest it against his cheek. "What was that?" 

He snaps his neck back, trying to headbutt me, but I'm ready for it. 

"Not good enough, Lucas." 

"What's your fucking problem?" He won't stand still. 

"You are, Lucas. You used me to get to Lionel." 

"No shit! You used me too!" 

"We both knew going into this that we were using each other to _expose_ Lionel." He doesn't get it. "You only wanted to expose him so he'd be _proud_ of you." Like the tiny bit of pride he showed when he thought I figured out he wasn't blind. 

He stops moving for a second, then ducks. "You want to do this the hard way?" Fine with me. I hold him against the wall with the entire length of my body, which would be a pleasant position in just about any other situation. Now there's no way he's getting free. I have his right arm at an unnatural angle, and his left arm is trapped against the wall. 

"What do you want?" I think he wanted that to sound less desperate than it came out. 

"I want you out of my life. Forever." I trace the line of his jaw with the gun. "I want you to stay away from Smallville and LuthorCorp." 

He makes a sound that's somewhere between a laugh and a growl. "It's too late -" grunt "for that, Lex." 

"Sure you don't want to rethink my offer?" 

"You haven't made an offer." His retort is too quick and I'm forced to press the gun into his ear. He refuses to back down. "Lionel offered me ten million. What do you have to offer?" 

"Something that's worthless to me but, I should hope, invaluable to you." I rest my lips on his ear before I whisper, "Your life." 

It only takes him a second to regroup himself. "You're bluffing," but he doesn't sound so sure. "The cartridge is a blank." 

"Lucas, Lucas, Lucas." I chuckle in his ear. "You don't know me very well, do you? I always have a backup plan." I emphasize my point by grinding my hips into his ass. "Do you really want to risk it?" 

He doesn't say anything. Stubborn. Doesn't try to provoke me. He's thinking. 

Thinking is dangerous. 

"He'll never love you, you know." 

Suddenly he relaxes into the wall. "Careful, Lex." He smiles. "You're showing your hand." He turns his head as much as he can and looks at me sideways. "Lionel chose me." And how would he know? When I don't let him go, he continues. "Don't _you_ love me, Lex? You wouldn't kill your own brother, would you?" 

"Fuck you." 

He laughs. Like this is a conversation in the Talon over cappucinos. "Don't you mean fuck Clark?" 

Two can play at this game. "Now why would I tell you to fuck Clark?" I make sure he's looking at me. "Clark is mine. I'm the only one who gets to fuck him." 

"You're so sure of that." He closes his eyes and smiles. "And they say blood is thicker than water." 

How can I resist? "A lot of things are thicker than water." 

He snorts. "You would know." He licks his lips. "Hey Lex?" His voice is too soft. "Think of me when you fuck Clark." 

I can't hide the way my body tenses up. He's just crossed a line. "Shut up." 

"Or what, Lex? You'll shoot me?" He laughs. "Go ahead. I dare you." 

You know what? I think I'll take him up on that. "Hey Lucas? When you get to hell, tell Dirk I said hi." I pull back on the hammer, pause, then pull the trigger. The blast is a welcome sound and it's oh so beautiful to see him collapse onto the floor. 

He doesn't move for a second until he realizes he's not dead. He rolls over and glares up at me. "You sick bastard." 

I grin down at him. "You were right about one thing." He refuses to rise to my bait and ask what that is, so I tell him. "It's in the genes." 

I reach into my jacket and pull out another cartridge. He hasn't stood up yet, and I shove it in his face to prove it's real. Then I stand over him and eject the blank cartridge before tucking the gun in my belt. 

"Five blanks. Six bullets." I toss both of them in the air and catch them. He watches as I put my hands behind my back and look up at the ceiling. After shuffling them a few times, I kneel down and straddle his chest, holding out my hands. "Your choice." 

He's not a threat to me because I'm sitting on his arms. He is _so_ pissed. I feel high. I could get used to this kind of power. 

"Pick one, Lucas." I speak softly, gently, like I'm offering him a treat. 

He spits in my face. Or tries to, anyway. He doesn't have very good aim. 

"Looks like you chose six." I stand up, relishing the fear I see in his face. Instead of loading the gun, I slam my heel into his groin. He yells and curls up, holding himself, and I make my way to the cockpit. "You can bring us to Edge City now." 

"Yes, sir," says my pilot, who has no idea what's been going on. It's his job not to know. 

* * *

It's been a long week. And I still have to deal with Lionel. At least this will be the last time in a while. One good thing came out of our game. 

Lionel is moving out of the mansion. 

Well, right now the movers are removing his belongings. Including the big-screen tv I've grown fond of. "That can stay." 

"Yes, Mr. Luthor." Ah, it's good to be back. I return to the article I'd been reading about the miraculous recovery of Lionel's sight. I shake my head as Lionel walks into my office. 

"What a fascinating piece of fiction," I say dryly, holding up the article. I'm amazed that he gets front page news while the story about the government's cover-up of information they had about the terrorists only gets a blurb. "I see that the LuthorCorp stock has also jumped five feet." He laughs carelessly. I put down the paper. "How long have you been able to see?" The question must be asked, even though I know he never actually lost his sight. 

He shrugs, still smiling. "Few weeks." Fucking liar. 

"Playing the handicap card is low, even for you." 

He ignores my jab and looks off into the distance. "You know, Lex, I see more clearly than ever now." What a load of shit. "It's amazing what people try to get away with right in front of your eyes when they think you can't see them." 

"I can only imagine." I don't even pretend to have any sympathy for him. 

Lionel leans against my desk and fixes me with a serious look. "Now how are we going to repair this rift between us?" 

He doesn't really expect me to buy that transparent attempt at sincerity, does he? "You mean how are we going to keep the Lucas affair in the family?" 

"I was thinking..." Don't strain yourself. "...you take back your company, and you don't say anything about what happened with Lucas. Majority stakes, no strings attached." 

We agree. Now that that's over, I start to leave the office so Lionel can remove himself. 

"Oh Lex." I stop, but don't look back at him. "Do you remember the fable of the frog and the scorpion?" 

How can I not? I turn around. "The scorpion asked the frog to help him across the river. The frog helps him, but when they get to the bank, the scorpion stings him." 

Lionel's conclusion of the story is more deliberate. "When the frog asked him why he did it, the scorpion said, `Because it is in my nature'." Lionel pauses dramatically. "Lucas will never change. I've watched him over the years. He's a sociopath." 

I wonder what side of the family he got that from. The way Lionel's looking at me, I realize I said it out loud. 

I have no regrets. 

I pause at the door. "I'll send Lucas your love." I have the last word, even if it's a lie in every way imaginable. 

I have the mansion to myself again. 

I have my company. 

I have Smallville at my fingertips. 

I am in charge of my own destiny. 


End file.
